New Releases for May 3, 2019

May 2, 2019

May Program Titles Released This Week:

Amon Amarth – Berserker CD/2xLP (Metal Blade)

Comprising twelve monstrous Viking metal anthems that bulge with irresistible melodic hooks, bursts of thrilling savagery and moments of spine-tingling dynamic drama, Amon Amarth’s aptly titled eleventh studio album, Berserker, is the result of a huge surge of creativity for Sweden’s celebrated Viking overlords and undisputed modern masters of epic heavy metal. From the disarming melodrama and explosive riffing of opener “Fafner’s Gold” and the brutish simplicity of the rampaging “Crack The Sky” to the epic fury of “Raven’s Flight” and the grim, gritty storytelling of “Ironside” and “Skoll and Hati”, Berserker is full of trademark Amon Amarth bluster and bite. [Indie store exclusive colored vinyl edition available.]

Bad Religion – Age Of Unreason CD (Epitaph)

Since Bad Religion’s formative years, the acclaimed Los Angeles, CA punk rock band has steadfastly advocated for humanism, reason, and individualism. Now, when these values are in decline and nationalism and bigotry are on the rise, the group’s message has never been more essential. The songs on Age Of Unreason are both furious and meticulously crafted. There are references to contemporary events; racist rallies, Trump’s election, the erosion of the middle class, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, alternative facts, conspiracy theories, as well as homages to the literary and philosophical works that have long inspired the band. This record is both a dire warning and testament to resilience. The overall message being – seek truth about the world and oneself. [Vinyl edition due June 13.]

Combo Chimbita – Ahomale CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)

Through her folkloric mystique, otherworldly psychedelia, and a dash of enigmatic punk, Ahomale by Combo Chimbita catapults the sacred knowledge of our forebears into the future. Their second studio album sees the visionary quartet drawing from ancestral mythologies and musical enlightenment to unearth the awareness of Ahomale, the album’s cosmic muse. Comprised of Carolina Oliveros’ mesmeric contralto, illuminating storytelling and fierce guacaracha rhythms, Prince Of Queens’ hypnotic synth stabs and grooving bass lines, Niño Lento’s imaginative guitar licks, and Dilemastronauta’s powerful drumming, the lure and lore of Combo Chimbita comes into existence. On Ahomale the New York-by-way-of-Colombia troupe fuse the perennial rhythms of the Afro-Latinx diaspora with a modern-day consciousness, while tracing the prophetic traditions of our ancestry.

The Dream Syndicate – These Times CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)

There are two phases of The Dream Syndicate. There was the band with revolving lineups that existed from 1982 to 1988 and made four albums, including The Days Of Wine And Roses. And then there’s the band that reunited in 2012 and is closing in on its seventh year with nary a lineup change. Their new album These Times feels like a late-night radio show that you might have heard as a kid, drifting off into dreams and wondering the next morning if any of it was real. If 2017’s How Did I Find Myself Here was a 10:00pm record, all swagger and cathartic explosion, then These Times is the 2:00am sibling, moodier and more mercurial, the band acting as DJs of their own overnight radio station, riffing on an idea of what a Dream Syndicate album could be at this moment in time. Founder and singer/guitarist/songwriter Steve Wynn says, “These Times. That’s it. It’s all we’re talking about; all we’re thinking about. There’s no avoiding the existential panic of a world that’s hurtling somewhere quickly and evolving and shifting course by the hour. It seems like a lie to not address or reflect the things that we can’t stop thinking about – the whole world’s watching indeed.” [Limited opaque blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The Felice Brothers – Undress CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)

Cut live to tape with very little overdubbing, The Felice Brothers’ first album in three years is their most personal and reflective album to date. “Many of the songs on the new album are motivated by a shift from private to public concerns,” says Ian. “It isn’t hard to find worthwhile things to write about these days; there are a lot of storms blooming on the horizon and a lot of chaos that permeates our lives. The hard part is finding simple and direct ways to address them.” Undress follows the band’s 2016 album Life In The Dark, and finds the group in a very different place. Between personnel changes, families growing and the political landscape, the result is a tighter, more-paired down release. “Every song is a story,” adds James. “On this album everything was a bit more thoughtful, including the arrangements, the sonic quality and the harmonies.” [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Filthy Friends – Emerald Valley CD/LP (Kill Rock Stars)

The first releases from Filthy Friends, the scorchingly melodic rock group whose membership consists of some of the most original musical voices of the past three decades, came as a small, delightful shock to the system. Not only because of the names associated with the project, including Sleater-Kinney co-founder Corin Tucker, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and indie stalwarts Scott McCaughey and Kurt Bloch, but also because of how ably they were able to mesh their individual sounds into a crackling melodic whole on their 2017 debut album, Invitation. Now, with their follow-up Emerald Valley, the Friends have proven their collective mettle, crafting a thematic suite of songs that finds the quintet digging deeper into their bag of musical tricks and giving Tucker room to rage about and mourn the fate of our planet and the people who inhabit it. As proven here, when a group of like-minded people gather their individual strengths together and point them toward a singular goal, there’s no telling how powerful they can become and what an impact they can make on the world at large.

Judah & The Lion – Pep Talks CD/2xLP (Juda & The Lion)

For Judah & The Lion, the last two years should’ve been the best of their lives as the Nashville band toured behind a powerful single and a genre-upending album, sharing stages with heroes and playing to oceans of fans. But as everything was coming together for them, singer-guitarist Judah Akers’ family was falling apart in a hail of alcoholism and affairs, death and divorce. From that tension comes Pep Talks, the trio’s third LP and a hard left turn into deeply personal terrain.

Knowing they had something new on their hands, Judah, Brian Macdonald (mandolin), and Nate Zuercher (banjo) took their time crafting a set of songs that not only shores up their one-of-a-kind sound – a heart-pounding whirl of folk, bluegrass, rock, hip-hop and electronic production – but takes the listener on a bracingly candid, surprisingly anthemic journey from the kind of pain that tears your whole world apart to the sort of hard-won hope that can bridge the deepest of rifts. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

SYML – SYML CD/LP (Nettwerk)

From his basement recording studio in the small town of Issaquah, WA outside Seattle, Brian Fennell (of the indie band Barcelona) began to write and record songs under the name SYML, which means “simple” in Welsh. Adopted and not knowing his history or connection to his Welsh roots, many of these songs are influenced by the complex feelings that come from unknown lineage. After having his inbox flooded with fan messages upon the use of his song “Where’s My Love” in the hit TV show Teen Wolf, Fennell was overwhelmed with the support behind his solo project. Creating music that hones in on simplicity and sensitivity, SYML released the EP In My Body in 2018 and follows with his self-titled debut album, a collection of straightforwardly heartwarming, sweetly engaging folk-pop songs, softening each with a voice that embodies comfort and kindness. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

TacocaT – This Mess Is A Place CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)

TacocaT’s fourth full-length finds the Seattle punk band waking up the morning after the 2016 election and figuring out how to respond to a new reality where evil isn’t hiding under the surface – it’s front and center, with new tragedies and civil rights assaults filling up the scroll of the newsfeed every day. Despite current realities being depressing enough to make anyone want to crawl under the covers and sleep for a thousand years, TacocaT are doing what they’ve always done so well: mingling brightness, energy, and hope with political critique. This Mess Is A Place is charged with a hopefulness that stands in stark contrast to music that celebrates apathy, despair, and numbness. TacocaT feels it all and cares, a lot, whether they’re singing odes to the magical connections we feel with our pets (“Little Friend”), imagining what a better Earth might look like (“New World”), or trying to find humor in a wholly unfunny world (“The Joke Of Life”). It’s a delightfully cathartic moment and the cornerstone of the record when they exclaim, in “Grains of Salt”: “Don’t forget to remember who the f**k you are!”

Tank and The Bangas – Green Balloon CD/2xLP (Verve)

Breakout New Orleans-based five-piece Tank and The Bangas return with their highly anticipated new album, Green Balloon. Following-up the band’s 2013 debut, Think Tank, Green Balloon represents a musical evolution for the group who called upon producers Jack Splash, Mark Batson, Zaytoven, Louie Lastic and Robert Glasper to help capture their vision. “There’s no record quite like Green Balloon, and no band quite like Tank and The Bangas. Green Balloon is 17 songs, featuring 75 minutes of roughly 30 creative souls, recorded in nearly 10 studios. They make music without boundary on instruments ranging from sax, flute, cello, vocal scratches, keyboards, synths, real drums, fake drums, a djembe and, of course, the poetry, philosophy, comedy and voice that is Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball. This stuff is serious fun!” – NPR [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride CD/2xLP (Columbia)

Vampire Weekend’s highly anticipated fourth album, Father Of The Bride closes a six-year gap since 2013’s Modern Vampires Of The City. Produced by Koenig and Ariel Rechtshaid (Adele, Madonna, Charli XCX, Usher, HAIM, Solange), the 18-track double album Father Of The Bride features the fresh yet familiar sounding numbers “Sunflower”, “Big Blue”, “Harmony Hall” and “2021”, and includes collaborations with Jenny Lewis, David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Steve Lacy (The Internet), Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend co-founder who left the band in 2016) and Haruomi Hosono, among others. Father Of The Bride’s title is something Koenig chose years back, well before recent significant developments in his life. In typical Vampire Weekend fashion, the title has multiple layers of meaning, expressing the band’s signature paradox: creating songs that easily find a home on any playlist – or car radio, TV show, film soundtrack, airport PA, etc. – but reveal their complexities upon closer listening.

Versing – 10000 CD/LP (Hardly Art)

Seattle quartet Versing got their start in college radio – Tacoma’s KUPS. The group’s main songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Daniel Salas served as alternative music director there when he met guitarist Graham Baker, drummer Max Keyes, and bassist Kirby Lochner. Brandishing a coolly combustible brand of rock, the group has risen through Seattle’s competitive rock ecosphere with nonchalant élan. They cheekily titled a previous album Nirvana, but Versing isn’t emulating Sub Pop’s most famous artist. Rather, they’re forging an exciting sound that finds a golden mean between lustrous noise and ebullient melody. The band’s songwriting is obviously crucial, but much of the pleasure in 10000 comes from their guitar textures – swarming yet spiky and agile. It’s an engrossing album that’s impossible to feel ambivalent about.

Joy Williams – Front Porch CD/LP (Sensibility Recordings)

Formerly of four-time Grammy Award-winning folk, country and Americana duo The Civil Wars (from 2009 until 2014), Joy Williams presents her fifth solo full-length album, Front Porch. It represents a new chapter in her career, recorded in Nashville during the pregnancy of her second child. Rolling Stone states Williams’ new music “…is both familiar and new, and explicitly clear that there’s nothing missing when she goes it alone.” Two songs from the record – “Canary” and “The Trouble With Wanting” – have already been released to critical acclaim. Of “Canary”, Rolling Stone proclaims, “As usual, her voice stills the spotlight, with everything building toward Williams’ ringing, crystal-clear glory note in each chorus,” and the Houston Chronicle furthers, “Williams’ vocal on the song reflects the assertiveness of its subject. A moment in its refrain finds her reaching high for a note and finding it.”

June Program Title Released This Week:

Big Thief – U.F.O.F. CD/LP (4AD)

The New York-based Big Thief’s songs represent an emotional bravery and realness that weaves intimate relationships with the listener, a phenomenon that has made them one of the most widely-respected bands of the current era. Their first two back-to-back releases, Masterpiece (2016) and Capacity (2017), have been analyzed, wept to, danced to, critically applauded, imitated, hummed idly, and shouted out loud. They have soundtracked crowded restaurants, difficult conversations, cowboy bars, yoga classes, night drives, and lonely bedrooms. “Big Thief get weird on U.F.O.F., to great effect. On Masterpiece and Capacity, they were making folksy rock songs that would absolutely play in a Pilates studio or at a cafe or on one of Spotify’s many “chillax” playlists. U.F.O.F. isn’t an outlier, not exactly, but it isn’t as conventional, and it’s exciting to consider the directions Big Thief might go in from here.” – Stereogum

CDs + Vinyl:

Amygdala – Our Voices Will Soar Forever CD/LP (Prosthetic)

Five-piece San Antonio punk/hardcore purveyors Amygdala position themselves as part of the punk resistance tradition; they started making ferocious, caustic and outspoken hardcore together in 2014, and their new album, Our Voices Will Soar Forever, certainly pulls no punches.

An Horse – Modern Air CD/LP (Run For Cover)

The heart of An Horse’s magic is rubbery and elastic. Rows of slinky, hypnotic spirals, widening middle-out. They’ve never spun to more vibrant and dynamic impact than on their third album, Modern Air – which is an evolutionary step in a long tradition of guitar-based indie-rock, angular in spaces, jangly in others, sometimes both at the same time.

Barrie – Happy To Be Here CD/LP/Cassette (Winspear)

Inclusivity is at the heart of Barrie, the Brooklyn five-piece made of Barrie Lindsay, Dominic Apa, Spurge Carter, Sabine Holler and Noah Prebish. And on their debut album, Happy To Be Here, their multidimensional take on classic pop sounds awake and present, like a group that’s daydreaming but firmly there with one another. [Limited transparent red colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Simon Bonney – Past, Present, Future CD/LP (Mute)

Past, Present, Future includes songs from Bonney’s last two albums Forever (1992) and Everyman (1994) as well as six previously unreleased tracks, including his cover of Scott Walker’s “Duchess”.

Boogie – Everything Is For Sale CD (Shady)

Debut studio album by the rapper featuring guest appearances from 6lack, Christian Scott, Eminem, J.I.D, and Snoh Aalegra, and production from Keyel Walker and Darttny Ellis among others.

Reissue of the third solo studio album by the blues rock guitarist, the first to feature his band Smokestack. The album was produced by Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

William Brittelle – Spiritual America CD (Nonesuch)

On composer William Brittelle’s album Spiritual America, indie rock duo Wye Oak, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and the Metropolis Ensemble perform a genre-defying electro-acoustic song cycle written by Brittelle, plus a Wye Oak piece re-imagined by Brittelle. On the album, Brittelle works to reconcile his youth in a conservative Christian household with his adult life as an “agnostic Buddhist.” The project began when he endured a family crisis and instinctively found himself praying to God.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – End Of Suffering CD/LP (Int’l Death Cult)

End Of Suffering (named after the Buddhist term for enlightenment) is the sound of a band entering an entirely new realm of the senses, a forty minute rock ‘n’ rollercoaster of molten-hot bangers, scorched-soul ballads and grunge lullabies laced through with a lacerating lyrical honesty.

Seven songs from the Editor’s Violence album, originally produced and more recently mixed and finished by Blanck Mass. It includes the unreleased track “Barricades” from the Violence sessions, which is a full Blanck Mass production mixed by Alan Moulder as per the rest of the original album.

The Electric Wizard – 1989-1994 [Reissue/2006] CD (Rise Above Ltd.)

Considered by many to literally be the heaviest band in the world, Electric Wizard is more like a cult than a band. They conjure up visions of Alistair Crowley having a black trip with HP Lovecraft, whilst gazing at the most far out biker flicks ever created. This, combined with the crustiest gravity defying doom riffs and drones, Electric Wizard have one mission: to destroy.

Gang Of Four – Happy Now CD/LP+MP3 (Gill Music Ltd)

Gang Of Four’s new album Happy Now is “largely dark and electronic, flowing with a kind of dystopian tension that reflects the paranoia and distrust of the modern age we’re living in. It’s an album that sounds like society collapsing-its songs riddled with a disconcerting, unnerving uncertainty and a kind of apocalyptic anxiety, despite the vigor and confidence of the music itself. So while the Gang of Four of 2019 is very different to the Gang Of Four that started in the late ’70s, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.” [Indie exclusive white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Rhiannon Giddens – There Is No Other CD (Nonesuch)

Rhiannon Giddens’ new album was recorded with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. Produced by Joe Henry and tracked over an intensely productive five-day period in Dublin, Ireland, There Is No Other is at once a condemnation of othering and a celebration of the spread of ideas, connectivity, and shared experience.

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. With gold records and radio hits from various projects dating back as far as the late ‘80s, plus a substantial body of work in the ‘90s Stockholm underground electronic era (under an array of pseudonyms like Tupilaq, Yeti, Solaroid etc), Linder has been a prominent but equally mysterious figure on the Swedish music scene.

Little Steven and The Disciples Of Soul – Summer Of Sorcery CD/2xLP (UMe)

Summer Of Sorcery, the follow up to the critically acclaimed Soulfire is Steven Van Zandt’s first album of original material in 20 years. All 12 songs are original SVZ compositions, one recut from his 1988 album Revolution, one outtake from the Lilyhammer score, and 10 new songs. The album was recorded with the same members of The Disciples Of Soul that have been touring this past year.

Johnny Lloyd – Next Episode Starts In 15 Seconds LP (Xtra Mile)

Opening a confident new chapter in his career, the former Tribes frontman releases his stately new solo album. Rich with personal renovations and revelations inspired by a whirlwind of changes in Johnny’s life over the past few years, the intimate and mature songs of the album tackle growth, getting sober and becoming a father, in a record that earnestly witnesses this songwriter enter back into the spotlight and truly come of age.

L7 – Scatter The Rats CD (Blackheart)

The first L7 album in 20 years, Scatter The Rats embodies everything that made the band so iconic in the first place – the distortion-heavy riffs and headbanging rhythms, sludgy grooves and indelible melodies. And in their lyrics, L7 achieve a direct transmission of raw feeling, often spiked with biting commentary on the chaos of the world today.

Jesse Mac Cormack – Now CD/LP (Secret City)

Over the course of three EPs, Montreal native Jesse Mac Cormack has gathered accolades and refined his vision, nourishing a songwriting skill that is lavish and undaunted. Following early work that drew heavily from folk and roots-rock, French cultural magazine Les Inrocks called him “the new hero of modern folk.” The songs on Now are prismatic and forward-facing, recalling the adventurous pop of Tame Impala, Talk Talk and Perfume Genius.

Christopher Martin – And Then CD (VP)
With the past three years, Christopher Martin has distinguished himself as Jamaica’s most versatile vocal stars.

Myrath – Shehili CD/LP (earMUSIC)

With their incredibly personal, epic and beautiful oriental-infused progressive metal, Myrath has slowly but surely established itself as one of the most fascinating bands in the current international metal scene.

New Found Glory – From The Screen To Your Stereo 3 CDEP/10+MP3 (Hopeless)

Pop-punk all-stars New Found Glory revive their love for the big screen with the third installment of their fan-favorite nostalgic movie covers. Features songs from Frozen, Back To The Future, and Rocky.

Qasim Naqvi – Teenages CD/LP (Erased Tapes)

The debut album from the Pakistani-American composer, Teenages captures the sound of electronics living, breathing and mutating of their own accord almost autonomously with only subtle, sparing but perfectly-judged and masterful guidance. This album is one singular synergy between Qasim and his machine within a broader milieu of sound, also explored by contemporaries Sarah Davachi, Alessandro Cortini, Caterina Barbieri and also the forefather, Morton Subotnick.

Oh Land – Family Tree CD/LP (Tusk Or Tooth)

Oh Land is the stage name of Danish singer and artist Nanna Øland Fabricius. Family Tree, Oh Land’s first album in five years, is a deeply personal, intimate reflection on family, loss and love. It was produced by Thomas Bartlett, known for his work with Sufjan Stevens, The National, St. Vincent, Florence & the Machine and many others. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Bobby Oroza – This Love CD/LP (Big Crown)

Bobby was born in Helsinki, Finland into a family of musicians and artists where he would be exposed to a wide range of music. Frequent family parties at Bobby’s were thrown to the sounds of his grandfather playing Latin and Cuban classics on his guitar or to his parent’s record collection which was full of early jazz and blues, Motown, gospel hits, and doo-wop. The soul records were balanced out by Brazilian, African, North and South American folk songs, and Nuyorican Salsa albums. All of these influences make appearances in Bobby’s music. On This Love, he pushes the borders of soul and rock balladry and creates a sound distinctly his own.

Pile – Green And Gray CD/2xLP (Exploding In Sound)

Since Pile’s original formation eight years ago, the Boston rock band has released over five critically acclaimed albums, a compilation of rarities and live record. New album Green And Gray reveals just how heavy and soft they can get within the span of an album.

Sold out and out of print shortly after its original release on Urinal Cake Records in 2012, No Passion All Technique is a sometimes messy look at one of rock’s most magnetic bands-and lyricists-just as they were coming to life. Primal, cerebral, heartbreaking, funny-it’s an accidental tour de force that’s also become an unlikely collector’s item.

Radwimps – Anti Anti Generation CD+DVD (Caroline)

New release from the Japanese rock band. This limited edition CD comes with a bonus DVD featuring band interviews and a documentary.

Airbag co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, Bjørn Riis follows-up his acclaimed mini album Coming Home with the new studio effort, A Storm Is Coming. It features six epic songs which clock in at 51 minutes and are built around the central themes of human relations and loss, written as a dialogue between two people. It is both heavier and more tender than previous releases, as Riis manages to majestically combine the art of rock, prog and atmospheric pop. [Vinyl edition due June 13.]

Ringworm – Death Becomes My Voice CD/LP (Relapse)

30 into their storied career, Cleveland, OH’s metallic hardcore legends Ringworm return with their eighth studio offering. Death Becomes My Voice sees the band ascend to new levels of hostility with 35+ minutes and 11 tracks of no-holds-barred aggression.

Joel Ross – Kingmaker CD (Blue Note)

Debut album from an incredible young artist who has been omnipresent on acclaimed recent albums by Makaya McCraven (Universal Beings), Walter Smith III (In Common), Marquis Hill (Modern Flows, Vol. 2), and James Francies (Flight). Milt Jackson was a formative influence, Bobby Hutcherson passed him some sage advice, and Stefon Harris was his mentor and teacher. Now Joel carries the Blue Note vibraphone legacy into the future on an album that finds him exploring the formative stuff.

A career-spanning anthology of one of America’s most quintessential, celebrated, and influential musicians. Featuring classic recordings, 20 previously unreleased tracks, historic live performances, and special collaborations, this set encompasses over 60 years of Pete’s Folkways catalog, released on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Includes a 200-page extensively annotated and illustrated book.

Johnny Shines – The Blues Came Falling Down: Live 1973 CD (Omnivore)

Not many musicians of the 20th century could boast of a career that included touring with Robert Johnson, recording for Columbia, Vanguard and Chess Records and playing with blues luminaries like Little Walter, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Mississippi Fred McDowell and Willie Dixon among others. Maybe there is only one, and that artist was Johnny Shines. In 1973 though, he was at the height of his powers as demonstrated by this largely solo performance at Washington University’s Graham Chapel in St. Louis.

Sins Of The Damned – Striking The Bell Of Death CD/LP (Shadow Kingdom)

Formed in 2013 in the city of Santiago, Sins Of The Damned has become a cult institution in their homeland of Chile, itself a hotbed of heavy metal mania.

Caroline Spence – Mint Condition CD (Rounder)

Hailing from Charlottesville, VA, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Caroline Spence plays directly to the heart of Americana: unmistakably-authentic and emotionally resonating; both engaging and disarming. Her lyrics are raw and confessional, delivered through an ethereal songbird’s voice.

The first two in Stereolab’s seven album reissue campaign, expanded and re-mastered. Bonus material includes alternate takes, 4-track demos and unreleased mixes. [Limited clear vinyl pressings are also available.]

Tapscott is the key figure in the LA political & underground jazz scene of the late 20th century with his stridently independent & radical music. This superb rare, deep & spiritual jazz opus album has been unavailable on vinyl for over 40 years. The music is part Sun Ra Arkestra, part John Coltrane, part Art Ensemble of Chicago & explores the multifaceted deep & spiritual jazz of Tapscott.

An expertly compiled collection of choice cuts that range from silky smooth grooves to innovative techno pop bangers and everything in between. Long-revered by crate diggers and adventurous music heads, this music has never been released outside of Japan until now.

Viagra Boys – Street Worms CD/LP+MP3 (Year 0001)

2018 release. Viagra Boys debut studio album is about illusions of realness, the absurdum of existence and the joke of humanity.

Jesse Wilson – Phase CD/LP (May 3rd)

Years before she toured the world alongside Alicia Keys, wrote songs with John Legend, belted the Southern rhythm and blues with Muddy Magnolias and kicked off a solo career, Jessy Wilson grew up in Brooklyn, listening to the diverse sounds that filled her family’s apartment. Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield were on the stereo. Lauryn Hill and Biggie were on the radio. It was a mix of soul and hip-hop, and she expanded that soundtrack after moving to Nashville, where she discovered an equal love for rock & roll, blues, and roots music. Those influences come together on Phase, the Grammy-nominated songwriter’s first release as a solo artist. Written and recorded with producer Patrick Carney (Black Keys) Phase brews up its own storm of soulful sound.

George Winston – Restless Wind CD (RCA)

15th release from the celebrated new age pianist. On Restless Wind, Winston repurposes for the modern listener relevant works by musical greats such as Sam Cooke, The Doors, Stephen Stills, George & Ira Gershwin, Country Joe McDonald, and others.

Deluxe, first-ever vinyl edition of Acid Mothers Temple’s classic self-titled first album. Over the last 25 years no group has been more prolific or dedicated to pushing psychedelic rock to its limits than Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple.

After The Burial – Evergreen LP (Sumerian)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “After the Burial is the master of releasing tracks and albums that are full of memorable hooks, ones that force the listener to grin with childish glee; an oft-forgotten vibe in progressive metal and the entire genre. In addition to the first single, tracks like ‘Exit, Exist’ mimic ‘Collapse’ (off 2016’s Dig Deep) with its fast-paced low-end chug-bend-fest, and ‘In Flux’ opens with a ‘My Frailty’ (from In Dreams) intro dissonant riff before diving head first into an off-kilter but high BPM riff that becomes instantly memorable. In contrast, tracks like ‘Respire’ are much more straightforward with an increased focus on drawing from hardcore and metalcore influences with staple chug overlaid with melodies and are an instant playlist addition for all the gym going fans. In a world of increasingly overthought and bloated yet forgettable progressive ‘djent’, After The Burial prove why they are genre giants and could not have picked a more aptly named record. If you are someone who likes their metal to be pure headbanging, grooving, bopping experience without pretentious subtleties, this record is definitely for you.” – Metal Wani

Atlin Gun – Gece LP (ATO)

Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Sophomore album from the Turkish psych folk band. Atlin Gun hails from Amsterdam but comes from various backgrounds (Turkish, Indonesian, Dutch) and create music that opens doors between traditional Turkish folk songs and psych.

Scorching, propulsive renditions of Sun Ra by garage & soul screamer Barrence Whitfield. Here he channels the Saturnian ruler of the omniverse with a soul-tripping exploration of Sun Ra favorites, from the explosive Nuclear War to the shimmering exotica of Love In Outer Space to the Funkadelicized Everything Is Space. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing. CD edition due June 6.]

Belzebubs – Pantheon Of Nightside Gods LP (Century Media)

Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the heralds of northern darkness. Consisting of nine tracks, Pantheon Of Nightside Gods features a well-matured band that is not afraid to explore hitherto unknown depths. Recorded at Hellhole Studios during autumn 2018, the album features a fierce roster of guest talent, including the likes of Desibelius, ICS Vortex and Skvllcraft and more.

Betty Who – Betty LP (Betty Who)

Limited pink colored vinyl pressing of the third studio album by Australian singer.

Michael Bolton – A Symphony Of Hits LP (Montaigne)

To commemorate his 50th year in the entertainment industry, multiple Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Michael Bolton releases a collection of greatest hits newly recorded with a symphony orchestra.

The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man [Reissue/1965] LP (Sundazed)

Red colored vinyl reissue of The Byrds’ debut album.

Chris Carter – Mondo Beat [Reissue/1985] LP (Mute)

Chris Carter – Disobedient [Reissue/1998] LP (Mute)

Chris Carter – Disobedient [Reissue/1999] LP (Mute)

As a founding member of Throbbing Gristle alongside Cosey Fanni Tutti, Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Chris Carter has had a significant role in the development of electronic music – a journey which has continued through his releases as one half of Chris & Cosey and Carter Tutti and a third of Carter Tutti Void – as well as with his own solo and collaborative releases. [Archival Recordings 1973 – 1977 due May 17.]

Ca$his – The Art Of Living LP (X-Ray)

New studio album from one-time Eminem prodigy and Shady Records recording artist.

Debut collaboration between two giants of the New York avant-garde – guitarist Loren Connors and saxophonist/trumpeter Daniel Carter. It’s a gorgeous, languorous soundscape distilled from the darkest reaches of blues and jazz.

Eric Copeland – Trogg Modal Vol. 1 Remixes 12” (DFA)

Last fall’s Trogg Modal Vol. 1 pushed his ‘Freakbeat 4/4’ agenda even further, with a sense of humor that bubbles over and out through the speakers. Rife with chunky percussive layers and tweaked loopy vocals, these frenzied, self-described rippers are practically designed to be remixed.

Nitai Dasgupta was one of the most talented Indian classical singers in Great Britain. His sweetness and flexibility created a unique style complemented by his melodious voice and composing abilities. Songs Of India pleases the lovers of Indian classical and semi-classical music while enticing pop and folk lovers.

Edguy – Vain Glory Opera [Reissue/1998] LP (AFM)

Colored vinyl reissue of the European melodic metal band’s second album.

Evan Thomas Way& The Phasers – Long Distance LP (Lung)

Evan Thomas Way’s career as the frontman for the Parson Red Heads has made the warmth of his voice synonymous with the band’s hope-filled songs. This is why his new solo record is a surprise. While maintaining the layered guitar harmonies and the gentleness of his voice, the songs on Long Distance are darker and more deeply personal.

Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums captured live in 1985 playing at the peak of their respective powers at NYC’s historic jazz shrine, The Village Vanguard.

Hot Flash Heat Wave – Mood Ring LP (Hot Flash Heatwave)

Based in the Bay Area with roots in the Davis – near Sacramento area – Hot Flash Heatwave has proven to be a notable name. Recently touring the country with a bunch of showcases at SXSW the group is one that should be around for a while.

Imagine Dragons – Night Visions [Reissue/2012] LP (Interscope)

Limited opaque lavender colored vinyl pressing of the 2012 album from the Las Vegas-based alt-rock quartet.

Syl Johnson ‎– Is It Because I’m Black [Reissue/1970] LP (Numero)

Coming hot on the heels of his first full length, the self-proclaimed most sampled artist of all time released the groundbreaking black concept LP Is It Because I’m Black a full 13 months before Marvin Gaye asked “What’s Going On?” Rumbling hard past any notion of a sophomore jinx, Syl delivered a bracing, inspiring, and politically charged R&B document.

Makoto Kawashima – Homo Sacer LP (Black Editions)

Homo Sacer was recorded live during a heavy rainstorm at the gallery and café Yamanekoken in Iruma, Saitama. Facing up towards the ceiling, his sound arcing up to meet the raindrops beyond the roof, Kawashima played with a reed he had been given by the mother of the late Japanese saxophone giant Kaoru Abe.

Dadisi Komolahe – Hassan’s Walk [Reissue/1983] LP (Pure Pleasure)

Released back in 1983 this modal to slightly free jazz outfit from California takes you on a journey back to the late 60s and very early 70s, into the spiritual realms of greats like John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, John McLaughlin and Miles Davis among others.

To commemorate the 15th Anniversary of Lamb of God’s Ashes Of The Wake, the album is now being released on double-vinyl with four non-LP tracks, including the B-Side Another Nail For Your Coffin and previously unreleased demos.

LCD Soundsystem/Paperclip People – Throw [Reissue/2010] 12” (DFA)

“Throw” by Paperclip People has been reissued on 12” vinyl, and features LCD Soundsystem’s sublime and inventive cover on the flipside.

Maybird fuse expansive psychedelia with evocative roots rock accents. Things I Remember From Earth is their debut album following a couple of EPs.

Meow Meow + Thomas Lauderdale – Hotel Amour LP (Heinz)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A musical love affair between two singular artists, Hotel Amour is the long-awaited collaboration between beloved Pink Martini founder and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale, and international singing sensation, the crowd-surfung tragi-comedienne and queen of Chanson, Meow Meow. Guests include Rufus Wainwright, Barry Humphries (of Dame Edna fame), and The von Trapps, as well as a very special live recording with the legendary pianist/composer Michel Legrand.

Mr. Death – Detached From Life [Reissue/2009] LP (Agonia)

Vinyl reissue of the Swedish death metal band’s debut album.

Municipal Waste – The Art Of Partying [Reissue/2007] LP (Earache)

Originally released in 2007, the aptly titled The Art Of Partying is widely considered to be one of Municipal Waste’s finest and certainly the album that elevated them to the undisputed throne of the party thrash genre.

Sequoyah Murray – Penalties Of Love 12”+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Writing deeply confessional lyrics and creating abstract textured song structures, Sequoyah is a product of his time, place and borderless generation, making music that is both wildly experimental and unforgettably accessible, his lyrics proudly recasting his vulnerabilities as strengths.

New York Dolls – Red Patent Leather [Reissue/1984] LP (LMLR)

Limited white colored vinyl pressing of the Dolls’ 1975 live album recorded at Little Hippodrome Club in New York City and originally released nine years later in 1984.

Nolan The Ninja – Sportee LP (Mello Music Group)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Nolan The Ninja has made a name from himself on the Detroit scene and beyond with a delivery reminiscent of ’90s MCs, crafting intricate patterns and clever rhymes. Traditionally, Nolan is associated with a frenetic energy, his songs overflowing with syllables and style. Nolan’s new album, Sportee marks a growth in approach.

Outer Spaces – Teapot #1 b/w Children Love To Run 7” (Saddle Creek)

Baltimore, MD’s Outer Spaces is the name of the electric guitar based indie singer/songwriter project of Cara Beth Satalino.

People Under The Stairs – Sincerely, The P 2xLP (Piecelock 70)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With a career spanning two decades and 11 releases, L.A. hip-hop duo People Under The Stairs bid farewell with their final LP. Their unique style is on full display; lyrically dense spliced with vintage boom bap. Self-produced, self-recorded and no features but with multiple instrumentalists to supplement their trademark dusty breaks.

Mike Posner – Real Good Kid LP (Island)

Released in January on CD – now available on vinyl. Grammy-nominated, worldwide multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter and producer Mike Posner (“I Took A Pill In Ibiza”, “Cooler Than Me”) releases his long-awaited fourth album.

Psychedelic Speed Freaks is a new power trio led by Munehiro Narita, founding member of Japan’s legendary High Rise and one of the wildest, most original guitarists in rock. Blazing in total hyper-saturated glory, Psychedelic Speed Freaks centers on the raw, unrelenting attack of Narita’s motorcycle fuzztone guitar and a rhythm section driven by a pair of untamed LA acid punks.

Jan St. Werner is a critically acclaimed and internationally recognized sound innovator. In a myriad of ways; as a solo artist, a collaborator, through his group Mouse On Mars, as a producer, or as a course instructor at MIT, Werner has challenged traditional approaches to creating and experiencing music. The sixth installment of his Fiepblatter Catalogue series, Glottal Wolpertinger, endeavors to transcribe the phenomenon of sound as anarchic and highly sensitive material. His multilayered presentation of the project highlights the ways in which sound and music can fluctuate and morph depending on context.

Sun Ra – Crystal Spears [Reissue/2014] LP (Modern Harmonic)

Recorded in ’73 and rejected by tin-eared major label execs in ’75, Crystal Spears subsumes a cathartic brawl between Minimoog and Yamaha combo organ, with percussionists providing tonal textures, and plaintive oboe colliding with roaring electronic keyboards over waves of rollicking marimba, devilishly chattering below the fray.

The Sweet Life – Mexico City Heart [Reissue/2015] LP (Lung/Quagmire)

The first in a series of posthumous releases from the fantastical singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and all-around musical hermit, Tim Alexander (aka Bab). Mexico City Heart features 12 nutso psych/power pop tracks about loss and hope. 180gm gold vinyl pressing.

A kaleidoscopic collection of previously unreleased gems from the Japanese underground.

Tal Wilkenfeld – Love Remains LP (BMG)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tal Wilkenfeld is a musical marvel; the kind of dynamic young talent whose fresh vision and uncanny intuition puts a whole new perspective on an age-old art form. While many people know Tal as the masterly bassist with Jeff Beck and her high-profile guest appearances with legends from Mick Jagger and Prince to The Allman Bros and Herbie Hancock, music fans are about to discover an entirely new side of Tal as a vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. On her vocal debut album, Love Remains, Tal’s range of talents are on full display, achieving a stunning balance between instrumental prowess and exquisite song craft, quickly captivating the ear and soul.

Worriedaboutsatan – Revenant LP (Burning Of Witches)

Revenant marks a slight departure from their previous album Blank Tape by venturing into more synth heavy pieces based around dark brooding atmospheres that switch from bouncing arpeggios to slow hypnotic rhythms.

Cassettes:

Automelodi – Mirages Au Futur Verre-brise (Holodeck)

Brilliantly combining the art of sound design with unforgettable songwriting, Montréal-based synth-pop duo Automelodi is back with their third full-length. As an established and respected staple of the international community of underground hardware enthusiasts, Automelodi is led by the inspiring studio engineering and magnetic persona of singer/producer Xavier Paradis. Showcasing his master ability to design infectious rhythms, rich bass lines, and brooding hooks, Automelodi expertly crafts a listlessly romantic aesthetic embodied by Paradis’ dynamic voice and eloquent French lyrics. [Vinyl edition due May 17.]

Barrie – Happy To Be Here (Winspear)

Inclusivity is at the heart of Barrie, the Brooklyn five-piece made of Barrie Lindsay, Dominic Apa, Spurge Carter, Sabine Holler and Noah Prebish. And on their debut album, Happy To Be Here, their multidimensional take on classic pop sounds awake and present, like a group that’s daydreaming but firmly there with one another.